Water-can.



No. 630,583. Patntad Aug. 8, I899.

a. BIRK.

WATER CAN.

'1 (Application filed Mar. 5, 1899.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GUSTAV BIRK, OF BRESLAU, GERMANY.

WATER-CAN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 630,583, dated August8, 1899.

Application filed March 8, 1899. Serial No. 708,192. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, GUSTAV BIRK, a subject of the King of Prussia,Emperor of Germany, residing at Breslau,in the Kingdom of Prussia andGerman Empire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inWater-Cans, (for which I have applied for patent in Germany, datedAugust 2,1898,) of which the fol-- lowing is a specification.

The object of the present invention consists of a water-can which isdesigned to enable the use of the water to the last drop and to avoidexpensive repairs by omitting all projecting parts, with the exceptionof the handle on the outside of the can. Special advantages of this canare that by inclining or turning the same over with the sidedownward itis possible to water plants in all positions, that the flow of water canbe regulated according to desire, and that the inclination hithertonecessary to empty the can may be diminished or replaced by turning thecan over on the side till the last drop of water has been used up.

In the accompanying drawings, representing this invention, Figure 1represents one form of the can in section. Figs. 2 to l-BllOW the samecan in several different views. Fig. 5 represents a second form insection. Figs.

6 and 7 show several views of the same form.

Fig. 8 illustrates one advantage of the can shown in Figs. 5 to 7 inuse. Fig. 9 represents a common water-can as hitherto used.

As will be apparent from Figs. 1 to 7, the

body of the can in each case is made in one piece, the bottom being theonly part which is separately fitted on. rounded wedge-like form at theback. The front tapers gradually toward the top and ends in the piece(1-, thus utilizing the space between the tube and the body of the oldwater-cans, Fig. 9. In the top of the body-WV the mouth or the opening 0is provided for filling the can. The edges of this opening are bentinwardly at Z, 'sothat the spilling of the water when carrying the canis excluded.

On the outside of the can there is no part exposed to injury beyond thehandle d. A handle over the top, as is usual in the The body W has aold. cans, Fig. 9, is not used and the roll or fold Z takes the placethereof.

As the form of the body of the can is so simple and being made in onepiece it can be easily and dnrably enameled.

With'regard to Fig. 9 it will be noticed that the constructionillustrated there is considerably more complicated than the new can,being made of inanyparts-viz., cylinder or body, bottom plate, topplate, handles, and outlet-tube R, with flanges and tie S, &c.

In the old cans the water enters the outlettube 'Rthrough the opening at0, near the bottom, so that the tube R and tie S must be of considerablelength, and it is for this reason that these parts, like the top handleand top plate of the can, are so exposed to injury.

In thenew construction of can the tube R, the tie S, top handle, and topplate do not exist and the length of the outlet-tube b is reduced to aminimum. For these reasons the new can is considerably cheaper inconstruc tion and more durable in practice than the cans hitherto used.

If the old cans are considerably inclined, as is always the case with aspraying-head, a a certain amount of water remains in the upper part ofthe can, which is generally in greater part lost through-the opening inthe top.

With the new can all the watercan be completely emptied at the placedesired under strong pressure, because the column of water does not, aswith the old cans, bear upon the sides, but upon the outlet-opening, sothat an economy of time of about ten seconds, varying according to thesize of the can, is obtained.

With the old cans a great-deal of water is lost when used inconservatories and other hothouses, because the inclined outlet;tubeconnected with the can near the bottom cannot be brought into ahorizontal position so as to pass conveniently over the pots withoutwater escaping. The higher outlet-opening of the new can enables theextension-tube to be brought conveniently between the pots and flowers,so as to waterthe same at any desired pressure from a few drops to astrong flow when the pots are arranged in rows one above the otherwithout waste of water. Th is is of special importance when the flowersthemselves should not be watered or in winter when it is advisable notto water the leaves.

As the space existing between the outlettube R and the tie S in the oldform of can, Fig. 9, is utilized in the new form, it possesses theadvantage of a larger capacity without occupying more space.

In conclusion, the ability of watering in all positions should be againmentioned, as this is a very valuable property not possessed by theolder cans. The small can, in which the opening in the top is withoutthe center line, is especially suitable for watering at places diflicultto reach, in which the advantage of the gradually-tapering front partcompared with other cans is very conspicuous, for when turned on theside it is completely emptied,

- so that shelves close to the roof, as shown in Fig. 8, hithertoinaccessible can be conveniently watered even although the space is sosmall that the can must be placed flat against the roof. The advantageof the new can when being carried should also be mentioned inconclusion, as with the old cans the water was almost invariably spilledwhen the body of the can knocked against the legs of the carrier.Spilling is completely avoided by the new can.

lVhat I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, is-

1. A water-can in which the sides and front portion are oneuninterruptedly-curved sheet of material converging in funnel-like formtoward the outlet, and in which the edge of the said sheet at theinlet-opening is turned inward in an int-urned lip Z, substantially asset forth.

2. A watering-can having its body, its converging outlet, and itshandle, all in one piece and characterized by awed ge-like body,which isrounded at the back and tapers upward and also forward, the edge at thefilling-opening being turned inward forming a rib or handle inside thecan for carrying the can, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

' GUSTAV BIRK.

\Vitnesses:

CARL Nnwnnnny, lI'nanANN Burrsmt.

